


Shake My Hand

by rex_who



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: But whatever, Slytherin Harry, What Ifs, au wherein harry accepts the handshake, basically a rewrite of philosophers stone, but harry and draco, not harry ron hermione, or sorcerers stone if you're american
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-26 20:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5018443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rex_who/pseuds/rex_who
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Harry Potter had accepted the handshake offered by Draco Malfoy? What then?<br/>Harry is sorted into Slytherin, and makes friends with the blonde boy who offered his hand on the stairs outside the Great Hall. However, Harry isn't really a fan of some of Draco's morals, and Draco thinks Harry is too naive about all things magical...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Armin_too_deep](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Armin_too_deep/gifts).



> It's me, again. Advance warning that updates will be patchy, as while I have a little time off atm, when i get back to school life will be hectic. Sorry in advance!

Up and down the train Harry walked, trying to find a place to sit. There were carriages full of older students, laughing and joking with their wands out already, and groups of younger nervous looking students that Harry guessed must have been his own age, but their carriages were all full. He finally found an empty one, and spread himself out across the seats, preparing for a long journey.

A ginger boy poked his head around the door. “Do you mind? Everywhere else is full.”

“Not at all.” The boy sank down onto the seat opposite Harry, who was trying to read _Hogwarts: A History_. He’d heard some girl on the platform claim it was well worth the read, and anyway, Harry knew nothing of the school he now attended.

“I’m Ron Weasley.”

“I’m Harry. Harry Potter.” Ron Weasley gaped. “No way! Do you have the… the…”

“The what?” asked Harry, confused. Ron leaned forwards. “The scar,” he whispered. Harry pushed back his hair. “Woah!” cried Ron. _It’s just a scar,_ thought Harry. Aunt Petunia always fretted over it whenever they went out. “For goodness’ sake, Harry, hide your scar!” she’d hiss. “What will the neighbours think?”

“It’s so weird,” Ron was saying. “You’re the only person to survive the killing curse, and you were only a baby!”

Ron talked for most of the journey, but Harry decided that he almost liked Ron. He was very talkative, but maybe he could learn to love it. A prefect came round telling them to put their robes on, and soon enough they were pulling up in the train station.

Harry followed Ron off the train, but Ron ran off, and when Harry tried to follow him, he found himself surrounded by a wall of people. It was all he could do to fight his way over to Hagrid, the huge man who’s taken him shopping in Diagon Alley.

He found himself sandwiched between a very blonde boy and a boy who looked like he was twice as tall as Harry, and about three times as wide. The blonde boy shot the tall one a bemused look as Harry tried to look like he was comfortable with the situation as they were herded into boats. The blonde boy and his friend maintained stony silence, and Harry spent most of the journey rubbing awkwardly at his neck.as they got off the boat, the blonde boy whispered something in the tall one’s ear. Harry pretended not to notice. It was probably something about his scar or Lord Voldemort or whatever his name was that tried to kill his parents.

They were greeted in the castle by a stern faced lady dressed in emerald green who explained the basic rules and systems in place at Hogwarts. “You will be sorted into one of four houses, each named after the four founders: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin.” Harry saw the blonde boy elbow the tall one and grin. _I think he might want to be in Slytherin._

The lady left them behind a set of tall wooden doors while she checked if they were ready. “So,” piped up the blonde boy. “I see the rumours are true. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts.”

Harry shifted awkwardly, unsure of how to respond as people turned to look at him and whisper behind cupped hands. “Uh…”

“I’m Draco. Draco Malfoy. You’ll soon learn that there are two types of people in the wizarding world Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.” He extended his hand, and Harry took it, shaking it uncertainly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I can tell we’re going to get on just fine.” Draco smiled.

Harry was put in Slytherin, along with Draco and his tall friend who was introduced as Crabbe. Another boy named Goyle sat with them during the feast, but Harry couldn’t see him now. They were sat in the Slytherin common room, something Harry wasn’t entirely sure he felt comfortable with. They had used the password “pureblood” to get in. Harry had no idea what that meant. How could blood not be pure?

The common room itself was a dismal place. It was under the lake, so it was very poorly lit. “My father was in Slytherin,” Draco was telling him. “And his father before him, and his father before him. It runs in families you know. What houses were your parents in, Potter?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Harry. “I didn’t know there were houses until today.” Draco frowned. “How could you not know about the houses? Did your family not tell you anything about Hogwarts at all?”

“My aunt and uncle didn’t even tell me I was a wizard. They told me my parents died in a car crash.” Draco snorted. “A car crash? That’s ridiculous.” Harry shrugged. “I’m going to bed,” he told Draco. “I’m tired.”

“Night Harry.”

“Night Draco.”

Harry made his way to the dormitories, finding his trunk stood upright next to his bed. He changed into his pyjamas and slipped into bed. Things were very different here at Hogwarts, and Harry wasn’t sure he liked it. It had to be better than living with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, but even so, Harry wasn’t sure. He drifted off to sleep, still trying to decide whether he liked it at Hogwarts or not.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry gets his first invitation to tea from Hagrid.

A week passed, and Harry liked life at Hogwarts a lot more than he had on his first day. He’d become firm friends with Draco, even though the blonde boy did say some weird things. Harry wasn’t convinced having muggle parents made you any less of a witch or a wizard. There was a girl in Gryffindor called Hermione Granger who knew the answer to every question before it had even been asked, and her parents were dentists. Draco had been furious when he found out. “A mudblood! I’m getting beaten by a mudblood! If my father heard about this he’d be furious…”

That was another thing Harry couldn’t figure out about Draco. He talked about his father non-stop as if he was the most amazing man in the world, but he didn’t sound that great to Harry. _That’s because you don’t have a father,_ a little voice whispered to him. _You never worshipped your father because you never knew him._

Aside from Draco’s little quirks, there was the potions teacher. Professor Snape was a black haired man who resided in the dungeons, and had taken a shine to Draco and Harry. “Harry Potter, the boy who lived, has been put into Slytherin.”

“Yes sir.”

“We shall see what the future holds for someone who has achieved so much already, hmm? I have high hopes for you, Potter.”

Then there was the stern faced lady who’d greeted them on their first night. Professor McGonagall taught transfiguration, and could somehow turn herself into a cat at will. Harry liked her. She had a sort of no nonsense look about her, but with a twinkle in her eye that suggested that she could be your best friend if you played your cards right.

Harry and Draco laughed together about Professor Quirrell, the defence against the dark arts teacher who stuttered so badly that it was sometimes difficult to understand what he was saying and jumped about a foot in the air whenever someone dropped a pencil. “What can he do, stutter them to death?” joked Draco.

Harry sometimes saw that Ron Weasley boy around and smiled at him, but he never smiled back. Harry didn’t know what was wrong, but he didn’t get too hung up on it. As far as friends were concerned, Harry had Draco and a couple of other boys like Crabbe and Goyle and another boy called Zabini and a girl named Pansy who were all in his house. He didn’t need to worry about one boy from Gryffindor he met briefly on the train.

Harry also had Hagrid. Hagrid invited harry to tea at the end of his second week at Hogwarts, just to see how he was getting on. Harry considered it his version of writing home. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia weren’t interested in what happened in Potions class when Goyle had drunk some fifth year’s potion, mistaking it for water, so Harry told Hagrid instead.

“I’m glad to see you’re getting on well, Harry. I knew you’d love it here. Be careful about that Malfoy boy though. His father’s a right piece of work,  if you know what I mean.”

“No,” said Harry. “I don’t. What is Draco’s father like? Draco talks about him like he’s the best person in the world, but I’m not sure that he is. He’s got some funny ideas. There’s this girl in Gryffindor, Hermione she’s called, and Draco seems to hate her because her parents are muggles. He says his father thinks muggle born children ought not to be allowed into Hogwarts.”

Hagrid’s face darkened. “Lucius Malfoy was a follower of you know who. He claims that he was under a curse, that he didn’t know what he was doing, but I’m not so sure. His whole family don’t like muggles, or muggleborns. They’re like to call themselves “purebloods”. It means that they’re all wizards, and not one person in their family is a muggle. It’s codswallop, I say, if you’re magic you’re magic, there’s no sense in looking into people’s family trees.” Hagrid took a swallow from his tea. “You be careful with the Malfoy boy Harry, and you see if you can’t knock some sense into him.”

“I will,” Harry promised.

“And you make sure you’re making friends now, you hear? I don’t want to hear reports of you being nasty to students in other houses, understand?”

“Yes Hagrid.”

After meeting with Hagrid, Harry went back to the common room where Draco was sat on a leather sofa with Zabini and Pansy. “Harry! Where have you been?”

“I went to visit Hagrid while you were writing home.”

“Hagrid? Is that that huge gamekeeper, the one that lives in a hut on the grounds?” laughed Pansy. “I’d go for a bath if I were you, Potter, you’ve probably got fleas.” She laughed in the most annoying way Harry could possibly imagine.

“Hey! Hagrid’s my friend! He gave me my Hogwarts letter and took me shopping in Diagon Alley for all my supplies.”

“I didn’t know you wanted to be a gardener Potter! Or were you aiming more for oaf?” teased Zabini. Harry was furious. “How dare you say that about Hagrid? He more my friend than you’ll ever be!” He stormed past the sofa, not caring about the looks being thrown his way as he headed for the dormitories.

 _How could Pansy and Zabini say those things about Hagrid? They’ve never met him!_ Hagrid had the biggest heart out of anyone Harry knew, and that’s what mattered. “Stupid Pansy and stuck up Zabini,” he muttered to himself. “They think they’re so smart, and so much better than everyone.”

“Harry?”

“What do you want, Draco?” Draco came and sat on his bed next to him. “What’s wrong?”

“Pansy and Zabini are sat out there, talking about Hagrid and they’ve never met him! They’re saying all these horrible things and they don’t even know what he’s like! And you didn’t help either! You just sat there, saying nothing!”

“They’ve got a point,” Draco tried to reason. “Hagrid does live in a hut and do gardening.”

“That’s not the point! If any of you knew the slightest thing about Hagrid, you wouldn’t care if he lived in a ditch! He’s the kindest person I know, much kinder than any of you.”

Harry refused to speak to Draco or Pansy or Zabini. Zabini didn’t particularly care and Pansy didn’t get the message and kept trying to talk to him. Draco simply maintained equally stony silence. Harry only spoke to him again when he got another invitation to tea from Hagrid. “Look, Hagrid’s invited me to tea again, and you’re coming too so you can see what a good person he is.”

Draco protested, but Harry dragged him along anyway. “But Harry!” he muttered under his breath as Harry knocked on the door. “I’m allergic to dogs. Hagrid has a huge one in there, doesn’t he?”

“You’re not allergic to dogs,” Harry told him. Hagrid opened the door. “Harry! Good to see you!”

“Hi Hagrid. This is Draco.” Draco smiled quickly in Hagrid’s direction. “Hello, Draco. Harry’s told me about you!”

“Hagrid!” protested Harry as Hagrid winked at Draco, who had to laugh at the shade of red Harry’s cheeks had gone.

They spent two hours in Hagrid’s hut, and Draco gradually loosened up and laughed along with Harry and Hagrid, and later that night in bed he reflected on how wrong he had been about the giant man who gave Harry his Hogwarts letter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 rewrite!!!  
> Harry and Draco find out that Gringotts has been broken into, but don't have much time to dwell on it as their first flying lesson starts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the rewrite, but what happened was my computer shut down unexpectedly, and i lost a load of stuff and forgot where i was up to with this, so I ended up rewriting this chapter by mistake. After a brief read of both, i decided that I liked this one better. If you like the other one better: sorry.

Harry sat down to breakfast one day, yawning. “Shouldn’t have stayed up all night doing that potions homework,” Draco told him. “I’m not having anther detention,” Harry said. Once he’d forgotten to do a potions essay for professor Snape, and as punishment he’d had to sit in the dungeons and write it, and then another essay on the merits of good organization and time keeping. “Anyway,” he told Draco, “I wasn’t up all night. I went to bed at about two.”

“So it’s going to be an awful essay, and you’re going to get detention anyway.”

An owl landed gracefully on the table, saving Harry from having to think of a comeback. Draco put money in the little pouch strapped to its leg and took the copy of the Daily Prophet it was carrying. The owl flapped off, and Draco unfolded the newspaper. “Harry! Look at this!” Harry pushed his toast in his mouth and leaned over.

Draco handed him a napkin and pointed at the newspaper. “Gringotts was robbed!” Harry tried to say something, but sprayed the table with toast crumbs. “Charming,” said Draco. Harry shrugged and swallowed his mouthful.

“How did anyone manage to rob Gringotts? It’s the safest place on Earth; Hagrid told me.”

“Well, someone’s managed to. I wonder what they took.”

_Goblins insist that the vault in question had in fact been emptied earlier that day._

“Can’t have been much in it,” Draco commented. “Most people don’t empty their vaults. But why target an empty vault?”

“That was the vault…” Harry lowered his voice. “That was the vault Hagrid and I visited that day I went to Diagon Alley. Hagrid gave the goblin a letter from Professor Dumbledore, and after we visited my vault, we went to this other vault. Hagrid told me the contents were top secret Hogwarts business.”

“What was in it?” whispered Draco. “It was a little parcel, wrapped in cloth and tied up with some string.” Draco leaned back. “That’s it?” he asked in disbelief. “Doesn’t sound like much.”

“Well, it obviously wasn’t gold,” said Harry. “But what if it was something even more valuable?”

“More valuable than gold? What’s more valuable than gold?” Harry shrugged. “I don’t know. But whatever it is, it’s being kept in Hogwarts now, almost as if Dumbledore knew someone was going to break into the vault…”

“Slow down, Harry. Why would they hide something in Hogwarts? I mean, it’s a school, and if someone was willing to break into Gringotts for it, then a school should be no problem.” Harry slumped back. “I don’t know, maybe Dumbledore keeps whatever it is on his person? It was a really small package, it could easily fit into my hand.”

Draco shrugged. “Let’s talk about it later; we’ve got our first flying lesson now.” Harry grinned. “I’m so excited! I’ve never ridden a broom before.”

“I have; Father got me one for my birthday last year, and I’ve had a few lessons. Hopefully this’ll be one thing I can beat Granger at.”

Harry rolled his eyes but said nothing. He had no doubt that Draco could beat Hermione Granger at flying, but telling him wouldn’t be advisable. He followed Draco outside to the grassy area outside where a pile of battered broomsticks and a woman in navy blue robes was waiting. Draco immediately began to complain about the quality of the brooms. Harry was simply in awe. “Muggleborn, huh?” the woman asked behind him. “No, actually…”

“Oh, I’m sorry Harry. I didn’t realise it was you.  You grew up with your muggle aunt and uncle though, so you act like muggleborns do in their first lesson.”

“Harry most definitively isn’t muggleborn!” Draco protested. “Just drop it, Draco,” Harry muttered. “It doesn’t matter.” Thankfully, Draco didn’t say anymore on the issue, but instead started teasing Neville Longbottom. He was a bit of a joke, Harry had to admit. He was just that person that mistakes happened to. _Poor boy is probably going to end up in the hospital wing._

“Your attention, class.” The group of students stopped chatting amongst themselves and started paying attention. “My name is Madam Hooch. Welcome to your first flying lesson. Everyone step up to a broom.” Harry did as he was told, and ended up next to Draco and opposite Ron Weasley. He tried a friendly smile, but was ignored. “Now,” said Madam Hooch, “Hold your right hand over the broom and in a firm, clear voice, say ‘Up!’”

Harry waited until a couple of other people had tried before giving it a go. No one had done it first time, so Harry was very surprised when he closed his eyes, said “Up!” in the clearest, firmest voice he could muster and the broom flew straight into his hand. “Good, Mr Potter!” called out Madam Hooch encouragingly.

It took Draco two tries, and they both laughed when Ron’s broom shot up and smacked him in the face, despite the dirty looks thrown their way by the other Gryffindors. Poor Hermione still hadn’t gotten her broom to rise by the time Madam Hooch began speaking again. “Alright. I want you all to mount your brooms, and grip it tight; don’t want you sliding off the end. On the count of three, I want you all to give a hard kick, hover for a few seconds, then come down. One… Two…”

Before she’d said three, Neville’s broom rose into the air, taking a very startled Neville with it. “Mr Longbottom! Come back down at once!” Neville tried leaning forwards, but that simply made the problem worse. Neville went shooting off at an incredible speed, almost knocking three people out as he whizzed past. “Mr Longbottom!” shouted Madam Hooch uselessly. Harry could only watch as Neville’s broom threw him this way and that, almost like a spooked horse. Neville himself was hanging on for dear life, especially when the broom decided that it wanted to go up and towards the school.

It flew into the roof, leaving Neville dangled precariously on a ledge. “Hold on, Neville!” yelled Hermione Granger as the class went running over. Madam Hooch gasped as Neville fell to the floor, landing on the ground with a sickening crunch. “Out of my way!” she shouted, pushing past students to get to the crumpled heap that was Neville. She crouched down beside him. “Ooh, looks nasty. Don’t worry; Madam Pomfrey will have you fixed up in a jiffy.” She gently pulled Neville to his feet. “I want feet to stay on the ground, understand? The rider of the next broom I see in the air will be out of Hogwarts quicker than you can say quidditch.”

She ushered Neville off to the hospital wing. Draco bent down to pick something up off the grass. “Look here; the fat lump’s dropped his Remembrall. Maybe I should leave it somewhere for him to find later.” He grinned as he mounted his broom. “Draco,” warned Harry. “Harry,” Draco mimicked. He kicked off. “How about the roof?”

Harry knew that wasn’t right. “Come on, Draco, it’s not worth it,” he shouted up after his friend. “Do you really want to get kicked out over this?” Draco said nothing. Sighing, Harry mounted his broom. “Harry, I really don’t think it’s necessary…” Hermione Granger began to object, but Harry ignored her. He shakily flew up to Draco.

“Harry! Glad you could join me! Where shall we hide it?” Harry almost slipped off his broom. “Draco, this isn’t fair.” Draco laughed. “Fine. I’ll just let it go, shall I?”

“Don’t!” cried Harry, but it was too late. Draco had already thrown the Remembrall and had started towards the floor. Harry saw no option but to go after the Remembrall. He leaned forwards as far as he dared and flew towards the window of Professor McGonagall’s office where the Remembrall was just about to go through her window. _Please don’t let it smash her window,_ prayed Harry as he reached out for it.

He caught it just in time, just outside McGonagall’s window. He had to pull up very sharply to avoid going through the window himself, and below him he could hear cheering. _Are they cheering for me, or do they think I broke McGonagall’s window?_

Harry slowly made his descent, holding the Remembrall up in triumph. His classmates cheered him on as he landed. “That was wicked Harry!”

“Yeah!  And you said you’d never ridden a broom!” Draco said nothing, and Harry felt angry. However, before he could say anything, a voice called his name from across the courtyard. “Harry Potter!”

A deathly silence fell around him. _That’s it, I’m out for sure. Back to the Dursleys for me…_ Severus Snape pushed through the crowd. “Harry Potter, come with me right now.” Harry had no choice but to follow his head of house back into the school.

“I’m really sorry, Professor. Please don’t beat me.”

“Beat you? Don’t be absurd, Potter.” Harry was confused. “Where are we going?” Snape stopped outside a classroom. “Wait here.”

He came back out with a mean looking older student who Harry had never spoken to before.  “Marcus, I do believe I’ve found you a seeker.” Marcus looked stunned. “But Professor, he’s only in first year.”

“I have just witnessed an incredible piece of flying whilst stood in Professor McGonagall’s office. This boy caught a Remembrall just before it smashed through a window, and lived to tell the tale on one of those old brooms. Imagine what he’d be like on a decent broom.”

“Does he have a decent broom?” asked Marcus as if Harry wasn’t there. “That can be arranged,” said Snape with a wave of his hand. “I want you to take Mr Potter here outside on Saturday and explain to him how quidditch works. Understand?”

“Yes Professor.” Marcus didn’t look to happy about it, and suddenly Harry almost wished he were in trouble. “Can I go back to my lesson?”

“Go, you insolent child. Saturday morning; I’ll be there.” Marcus nodded and went back into the classroom. “Professor, what just happened?”

“Whether Marcus likes it or not, you’re now on the Slytherin  quidditch team. See that you don’t disappoint.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Harry's on the Slytherin quidditch team and is standing up for what he thinks is right. Good for him!!

**Author's Note:**

> Any thoughts? Likes, dislikes? I'd love to hear about them! Comment and kudos!


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